title: Implementation of a training and structured skills assessment program for medical assistants in a primary care setting.
abstract: As part of ongoing efforts to improve quality of care through clinical education of our medical assisting staff, we developed a competency-based training and assessment program. At the time of program implementation, we assessed clinical skills of 111 certified medical assistants and found that 10% were unable to accurately measure blood pressure, 9% were unable to correctly perform an intradermal injection, and 48% were unable to correctly draw specified volumes into syringes. More than 10 years after program implementation, we continue to detect and remediate clinical skills in newly hired employees. This case study report describes the evolution of the program and assessment findings.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Tammie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turo
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crocetti
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D002322:Career Mobility; D002568:Certification / Q000592:standards; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013192:Staff Development / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: clinical skills; competency verification; medical assistants; primary care